Runoff predicted 11 to 29 percent below the 30 year average for Wind River, Bull Lake and Boysen

(Billings, Mont.) – The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is predicting below average runoff for the Wind River, Bull Lake and Boysen reservoirs in its February forecast for the Wind/Bighorn River Basin.

The current April through July forecast calls for 87 percent of normal runoff into the Wind River above Bull Lake Reservoir, 89 percent of the 30 year-average for Bull Lake Reservoir and 71 percent of average for Boysen. Flows in the Wind River, with current data, indicated a total flow of 350,000 acre feet, down from the average 404,000 acre feet.

Snowmelt flowing into Bull Lake Reservoir from Bull Lake Creek is epxected to be 125,000 acre feet, below the average of 140,000 acre feet

The Wind River inflow into Boysen, April through May, is forecast at 400,000 acre feet, below the 30 year-average of 562,000 acre feet.